Double-ended ball paddle

ABSTRACT

A paddle for striking a ball having two striking members connected to opposite ends of a handle. Each striking member extends outwardly from the handle with a striking surface of each striking member being angularly disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle, so that each striking surface faces inwardly. The handle has a rectangular cross-section to indicate the orientation of the striking surfaces to the user of the paddle.

United States Patent Grosberg [S4] DOUBLE-ENDED BALL PADDLE [72]Inventor: Sam Grosberg, Brooklyn, NY.

[73] Assignee: Friedman and Goodman, Brooklyn, NY.

[22] Filed: March 5, 1970 121 App1.No.: 16,899

[ 1 July 4, 1972 [521 U.S. Cl ..273/73 R, 273/67 R, 273/96 R 51 1 Int.Cl. ..A63b 59/00 Primary Examiner-Rlchard Pmkham 58 Field or Search..273/67 R, 67 A, 73 R, 96 R, Assistant Examiner-Rwhard r y 273/97 R, 67B, 76, 17s, 1 R; 1l5/24.1-24.6; Atwmey-Frledman & Goodman [57] ABSTRACT15 61 References Cited A paddle for striking a ball having two strikingmembers connected to opposite ends of a handle. Each striking member ex-UNITED STATES PATENTS tends outwardly from the handle with a strikingsurface of 1,975,341 10/1934 Young ..273/175 X ach triking member beingangularly disposed with respect to 3,161,409 12/1964 Nulling 273/97 Rthe longitudinal axis of the handle, so that each striking sur-3,483,056 V1970 sramak u 273/96 R face faces inwardly. The handle has arectangular cross-sec- 7|7,041 12/ 1902 Smith tion to indicate theorientation of the striking surfaces to the 1,193,394 8/1916 .lahnson....l 15/24.1 X user f h ddl 1,389,988 9/1921 Rose ..1 15/24.] 2,566,0448/1951 Trepanier ..273/97 R 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUL 4 m25 FIGS.

I6 l6/ FIG-4. FIG 5.

INVENTOR.

Sam Grcymberg DOUBLE-ENDED BALL PADDLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONPaddles for striking a ball are well known in the art. The usual paddleis provided with a handle which is straight with respect to the strikingsurface of the paddle. Some paddles have been proposed in prior artwherein the handle is at an angle with respect to the striking surfaceof the paddle. The above paddles require the user to change from theforehand position to the backhand position, and vice versa, or to changefrom one hand to the other hand when the ball is hit to one said of theuser and then to the other side of the user. Also, the angle in whichthe user of the paddle positions the striking surface cannot beadequately controlled and therefore the angle is different for eachstroke of the ball, causing the ball to go in undesired directions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved paddlefor hitting a ball, and more particularly to a novel double-ended ballpaddle to be used in playing tennis, handball, or any other form of gamein which a paddle or racquet is employed. The paddle comprises a centralhandle having a striking member disposed at each end with inwardlyfacing striking surfaces. The handle, which is grasped with both handsof the player using the paddle, indicates the general direction in whichthe striking surfaces are facing to the user of the paddle.

One object of this invention is to provide a paddle of the abovecharacter which will enable the user or player to more readily strike aball and return the ball to an opposing player or wall than can be donewith those paddles ordinarily used or employed heretofore.

A further object of this invention is to provide a paddle which can beheld with both hands of the player at the same time so that a backhandposition of the paddle with respect to the player will not be necessary.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficientpaddle which will enable the player to return the ball in a desireddirection, such as towards the center of the court.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a paddle which willoperate to effectually indicate the orientation of the striking surfacesof the paddle to the user of the paddle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Having in mind the above and otherobjects that will be evident from an understanding of this disclosure,the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements ofparts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiment of theinvention, which is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enablethose skilled in the art readily to understand the function, operation,construction and advantages of it, when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a back elevational view of a paddle ac cording to thepresent invention, showing the playerss hands, in phantom, positioned onthe paddles;

FIG. 2 represents a front elevational view of the paddle according tothe present invention, showing both striking surfaces;

FIG. 3 represents a top plan view of the paddle of this invention,showing the edge portions of the striking members;

FIG. 4 represents an enlarged cross-sectional view of the handle of thepaddle of this invention taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;and

FIG. 5 represents an enlarged cross-sectional view of the handle of thepaddle of this invention taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, indicates adouble-ended ball paddle of this invention. Striking members 12, 14 ofthe paddle 10 are connected to opposite ends of a handle 16 so that thehandle 16 is positioned between the striking members 12, 14. As

shown in the drawings, the striking members 12, 14 extend outwardly fromthe handle 16.

The striking members 12, 14 are similar to each other, being of theconventional type. The striking surfaces 18,20 of the striking members12, 14, respectively, are shown in FIG. 2 to be generally rectangularlyshaped with rounded corners, but may be any other suitable shape, suchas round. The striking members 12, 14 are made of a conventional type ofmaterial, such as wood, cork, plastic or other :suitable material. Thestriking members 12, 14 may be perforated or non-perforated as shown, ormay be formed from a net type material.

The handle 16 may also be made of a conventional type of material, suchas wood, plastic, or even a light-weight metal such as aluminum.Obviously, the paddle 10 may be formed in one piece with its structureeither being cut from a single member of material, such as a woodmember, or being a molded member by using a material such as plastic toform its structure. The handle 16 may be of any convenient length tosuit individual players as long as the handle 16 is long enough to begrasped by both hands of the player at one time, as shown in FIG. 1,such being how the paddle 10 is held while being used by the player tostrike the ball. The handle 16 may be a solid member, or a hollow memberas shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, whereby a hollow member would save materialand also make the paddle 10 lighter.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, each of the striking members 12, 14 isangularly disposed from the handle 16, so that the longitudinal axis ofthe handle 16 intersects the plane in which the striking surface 18lies, and also intersects the plane in which the striking surface 20lies, whereby the above-mentioned planes intersect each other. Thepaddle 10 is symmetrical on opposite sides of a median plane passingtransversely through the longitudinal axis of the handle 16 at thecenter of the bandle 16, so that the striking surfaces 18, 20 faceinwardly toward the median plane which lies perpendicularly to thehandle 16. The angle between each of the striking members l2, l4 and thehandle 16 may be varied to a considerable extent to suit individualplayers. If desired, the angle of the striking member 12 may differ fromthe angle of the striking member 14. However, it is more convenient tohave both of these angles the same, where it would then permit each ofthe striking members 12, 14 to be held on either side of the playerbecause of the similarity of the striking members 12, 14 as statedabove.

In play, the paddle 10 is disposed in front of the player with one ofthe striking members 12, 14 on each side of the player. The handle 16 isgrasped with both hands of the player so that the striking surfaces 18,20 face in the direction the player desires to hit the ball. The paddle10 may thus be manipulated to strike the ball and return the ball to anopposing player or wall. The angular disposition of the strikingsurfaces 18, 20

permits the paddle 10 to bounce the ball back towards the center of theplaying court.

As indicated above, it is important for the player to known in whichdirection the striking surfaces 18, 20 are facing, without taking hiseyes off the ball. To assist the player in the orientation of the paddle10, the handle 16 is formed with a rectangular cross-section, which maybe square as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. With the above structure, theplayer by just grasping the handle 16 with both hands, as shown in FIG.1, can feel the corners of the rectangular handle 16 and determine thegeneral direction in which the striking surfaces 18, 20 are facing.Furthermore, by making one set of opposite sides of the handle 16 widerthan the other set of opposite sides, the player can determine whetherthe edges of the striking members 12, 14 or the striking surfaces 18, 20of the striking members 12, 14 are facing the ball which is to be struckby the paddle 10.

The support members 22, 24, shown in FIG. 3, secure the striking members12, 14, respectively, to the handle 16. The striking member 12 issecured by conventional means, such as by cement or by screw means, tothe support member 22. The striking member 14 is similarly secured tothe support member 24. The support members 22, 24 are then secured byconventional means, such as cement or screw means, to the handle 16 sothat the striking members 12, 14 are adjacent to the handle 16. Thedesign of the support members 22, 24 on which the striking members 12,14 rest, respectively, determines the angle at which each of thestriking surfaces 18, 20 is disposed with respect to the longitudinalaxis of the handle 16, whereby differently designed support memberswould yield different angles.

One method of securing the support member 22 to the handle 16 is toinsert a square portion of the support member 22 into the handle 16, asshown in FIG. 4, where the handle 16 is formed as a hollow squaremember, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As indicated in the drawings, thelength of the square portion of the support member 22 is substantiallyless than the length of the handle 16, so that the square portion doesnot extend too far into the handle 16, but just enough for an adequateengagement. The square portion may be press fitted into the handle 16 tosecure the two parts together, or just loosely fitted into the handle 16to position the support member 22 relative to the handle 16, whereby thetwo parts may then be secured together by conventional means, such as bycement inserted between the two parts or by screw means extendingthrough the handle 16 into the square portion of the support member 22.The support member 24 is similarly secured to the handle 16.

Numerous alterations of the structure hereindisclosed will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understoodthat the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is for purposes of illustration only, and not to beconstrued as a limitation of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimedherein is:

1. A paddle for striking a ball comprising a first striking memberhaving a flat first striking surface, a second striking member having aflat second striking surface, a hollow handle including oppositelongitudinally spaced ends, said handle further including a rectangularcross-section to define orientation means for indicating generaldirection in which said first and second striking surfaces are facing toa user of said paddle, and first and second support members, said firststriking member being secured to said first support member, said secondstriking member being secured to said second support member, said firstsupport member being secured within one end of said hollow handle toconnect said first striking member to said handle in a fixedrelationship and said second support member being secured within theopposite end of said hollow handle to connect said second strikingmember to said handle in a fixed relationship with said first strikingmember and said second striking member extending outwardly from saidhandle in opposite directions, said first and second support membersincluding respective flat surfaces inclined relative to one another,said first and second striking members along portions opposite therespective striking surfaces abutting against said support membersinclined flat surfaces in flush relation respectively, said firststriking surface lying in one plane, said second striking surface lyingin another plane which intersects the plane of said first strikingmember such that said first and second striking surfaces extend indifferent directions and face inwardly generally toward one another.

2. The paddle according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis ofsaid handle intersects both said first plane of said first strikingsurface and said second plane of said second striking surface such thateach of said striking surfaces is angularly disposed with respect tosaid longitudinal axis of said handle.

3. A paddle according to claim 1, wherein said paddle is symmetrical onopposite sides of a median plane passing transversely through thelongitudinal axis of said handle at the center of said handle, saidfirst and second striking surfaces facing inwardly toward the medianplane.

1. A paddle for striking a ball comprising a first striking memberhaving a flat first striking surface, a second striking member having aflat second striking surface, a hollow handle including oppositelongitudinally spaced ends, said handle further including a rectangularcross-section to define orientation means for indicating generaldirection in which said first and second striking surfaces are facing toa user of said paddle, and first and second support members, said firststriking member being secured to said first support member, said secondstriking member being secured to said second support member, said firstsupport member being secured within one end of said hollow handle toconnect said first striking Member to said handle in a fixedrelationship and said second support member being secured within theopposite end of said hollow handle to connect said second strikingmember to said handle in a fixed relationship with said first strikingmember and said second striking member extending outwardly from saidhandle in opposite directions, said first and second support membersincluding respective flat surfaces inclined relative to one another,said first and second striking members along portions opposite therespective striking surfaces abutting against said support membersinclined flat surfaces in flush relation respectively, said firststriking surface lying in one plane, said second striking surface lyingin another plane which intersects the plane of said first strikingmember such that said first and second striking surfaces extend indifferent directions and face inwardly generally toward one another. 2.The paddle according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of saidhandle intersects both said first plane of said first striking surfaceand said second plane of said second striking surface such that each ofsaid striking surfaces is angularly disposed with respect to saidlongitudinal axis of said handle.
 3. A paddle according to claim 1,wherein said paddle is symmetrical on opposite sides of a median planepassing transversely through the longitudinal axis of said handle at thecenter of said handle, said first and second striking surfaces facinginwardly toward the median plane.